Spring-wheel.



E. G. OWEN. SPRING WHEEL. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 21, 1911.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

fiZf/Zf- Ewan Q. 011/672.

UNTTED %T.eli-;TE% PATENT @FETQE.

EDWIN G. OWEN, 0F WYSOX, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING-WHEEL.

1 con, 1 69.

To all whom it may concern; I

Be it known that I, EDWIN (3. Owen, a citizen of the United States.residing at yson, in the county of Bradford and State of .lennsylvania,have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Spring-heels, ofwhich the toilowing is a specification.

This invention relates to spring wheels of that class having a rimwhiclr'is radially movable relatively to the hub, with springsinterposed between the rim and hub to oppose the relative movement.thereof, thereby taking up shocks received by, the rim when the w ieel.is passing over rough roads or obstructions.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a strong anddurable wheel of the kind stated, and also one which, is simple inconstruction so that it can be cheaply made. and, furthermore, toprovide a novel and improved arrangement of springs, and otherstructural details to be hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is badto the accompanying draw 111g forming a part of this specification, inwhich drawing Figure l is an elevation of the wheel with parts brokenaway. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the wheel partly in section. Fig. 3 is asectional detail on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the hub of the wheel,said hub having titted to its ends metal bands (5 projecting out oversaid ends, and shrunk on. On the hub, midway between its ends, is alsoshrunk a. metallic ring 7 having mortises for the spokes 8 of the wheel.The mortises .in the ring are continued into the hub. The spokes arefastened in the mortises by pins 9 passing transversely through thespokes, and having their projecting ends seated in grooves made in thering, said pins thus forming shoulders which limit the inward movementof the spokes. The spokes are further secured by set screws 10 threadedthrough one side of the ring and screwed against the spokes.

The rim 11 of the wheel has a central rib 12 on its inner periphery andon opposite sides of said rib, close to the edges of the rim, aregrooves 18, said rib and grooves being continuous. The outer peripheryof the rim is flat in cast fiatrubber tires are to be used; otherwisethe rim is formed with Specification of Letters Patent. Applicationfiled March 21, 191i.

Patented Nov. 21, 1 a1 1. Sean No. 615,888.

oblique traction ribs 14 alternating from the center line. Y

' The outer ends of the spokes pass into sleeves 15 connected to the rimin a manner to be presently described. The bore of the sleeve issutticiently large to allow the spoke to work easily, therein, and atthe bottom of the bore is an oil duct 16 which extends to the top of therib 12. The sleeve also has air holes 17 on opposite sides, to permit.the entry and escape of air as the spoke slides back and forth in thebore of the sleeve. One'side of the sleeve has a removable portion 18,which is held in place by screws or other suitable fastening means 19. IThe end of the sleeve which is next to the rim rides on the rib 12, andhas ears 20 between which. said rib is received. The sleeve is kept fromslipping radially by set screws 21 which are threaded through the cars20, the points I of said screws seating in grooves 22 in opposite sidesof the rib 12. The set screws are leftsuliiciently loose so as to permitthe sleeve to slide back and forth on the rib.

The spokes S are connected adjacent to their inner ends by braces 23.These braces are bent up at their ends to form flanges 24, said flangesextending at such an angle to the braces as to fit the spokes The bracesare secured to the spokes by bolts passing through the latter andthrough the flanges 24-. The nuts 26 whereby the bolts 25 are securedare locked by cotter pins 27. The braces are located between every twospokes.

At 28 are indicated the main springs for cushioning the relativemovement. of the hub and rim of the wheel. Two of these springs arelocated radially between every two spokes, and the braces 23 serve asabut-merits for one end of said springs. The ends of the springs whichengage the braces are made fast by bolts 29 passing through the braces,the head 30 of the bolt being located within the coil, and theboltbeingsecured by a nut 31 screwed against the braces. The belt alsopasses through an oval shaped washer 32 which is creased to fit thefirst coil of the spring. .The connection between the springs 28 and therim is made by tap bolts 38 in the same manner as the other end's of thesprings, the tap bolts being screwed into the rib 12. Supplementarysprings 34 are also provided. one of these springs being located on eachside of the sleeve 15 adjacent to its point of connection to the rim 11.One' end of each supplementary spring is fastened to the sleeve by a tapbolt 35, andj the other end'of said spring abuts against the head 36 ofa thumb screw 37 threaded into the rib 12,-this end of the spring beingsecured by a bolt 38 passing through said head of 'the thumb screw.Washers similar to the ones 32 already described are also provided forthe.

fastenings of the supplementary springs. The wheel is also provided oneachside with a mud guard extending inwardly from the rim so as toentirely cover the supplemeritary springs and partly cover the mainsprings.'- The mud guards comprise segmental plates 39 which are cut tofit in the grooves '13, and they are long enough to overlap at theirends. These plates stand at a right angle to the rim for a shortdistance, and then gradually bend inwardly to within a shortdis'tance ofthe sleeves 15, the inner-edges of the plates being then bent again'at aright angle to the rim, The overlapping ends of the plates of therespective 'sides of the wheel are connected by bolts 40 which passthrough a separator sleeve 41 located between the plates. By thestructure herein described a strong abuttin and durable spring wheel isbad, and'as it is without complicated parts, it can be cheaplymanufactured. The arrangement of the springs gives the Wheel suflicientresiliency so that it may be successfully sublatter having ears betweenwhich the rib' of the rim extends, "set screws threaded, through theears and extending at their m-- ner ends into the grooves of the rib,springs; I

at one of their ends against the supporting member, an" abutment for theother ends of said springs carried by the rim, abutments carried by thespokes, and

springs interposed between said abutments' and the rim. 1 I

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.v

I EDWIN G.-OWEN. I Witnesses:

SUSAN A. OWEN, GEO. W. BURTIN.

